


monsters in the light, good people in the dark

by itisjosh



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Humor, Found Family, Gen, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Mentioned Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Past Abuse, Past Character Death, Post-Prison, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Redemption, TommyInnit-centric (Video Blogging RPF), Trust Issues, Winged TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Wingfic, tommyinnit absolutely STRUGGLES
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 03:16:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30032202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itisjosh/pseuds/itisjosh
Summary: The door opens a second later, and Tommy flinches back at the sight of Techno. "Tommy? Tommy, are you..what happened? I thought you were dead. We all thought.." he shakes his head, trailing off. "Tommy, you..I'm not goin' to hurt you.""I don't know that," Tommy whispers. "I don't know that."(or, after escaping the prison, tommy finds himself stumbling right on back to techno and phil's home all over again)
Relationships: Technoblade & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), TommyInnit & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 563





	monsters in the light, good people in the dark

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rednow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rednow/gifts).



> RED. I SAID I'D DO IT YOU FUCKER. LOVE YOU :)
> 
> fic idea was suggested by @softlanterns!! :)

When Tommy stumbled out of the darkness of the prison, he hadn't expected himself to wander off to _here_ of all place. To _them_ of all people. Tommy shudders in the snow, feeling the cold wind blow over him, ruffling his hair and breezing over his skin, leaving goosebumps behind on his arms and the back of his neck. He stares out ahead of him, shaking at the sight of the house. While he'd like to pass off his trembling for him simply standing in the snow in a t-shirt, he knows himself a little better than that. This place used to be something like a home to him, Tommy considered it a safety. Techno's house was warm and open and full of memories and had people there who actually sort of cared about him, but now it's none of those things. Ever since Techno betrayed him again, ever since Phil laughs in his face and told him that he had to deal with his own problems, this place has become less of a safety and more of a danger. Tommy takes a step forwards, trembling on his legs as he moves, trying his best to not fall. He knows that he could probably get up if he were to fall into the snow, but he doesn't know that for sure, and he isn't going to risk it. 

Tommy breathes out, reaching up to run his hands through his hair. He closes his eyes for a few moments, wondering why he decided that of all places, this would be the best choice. He looks over his shoulder, glancing at the portal behind him, swaying back and forth and shaky legs. He thinks that it might be because no one else would believe him. Tubbo and Ranboo will think that he's playing a prank on them. Sam didn't fucking care when he got trapped in that goddamn prison in the first place, so Tommy didn't want to even be _near_ him, let alone speak to him. Tommy breaths in, the biting cold freezing the back of his throat. He starts to move again, pretending like his heart isn't going to beat out of his chest, pretending like the terror that sits at the bottom of his stomach isn't actually there. Tommy listens to the howling wind around him, and as he gets closer and closer to the house, to _Techno's_ house, he can hear two people laughing. Two people who he knows far, far too well. Tommy takes a step up onto the porch, wincing when the stairs creak from underneath of him. 

He reaches out a hand, wondering if he should just open the door or if he should knock, but the choice is made for him when the door opens a second later. Tommy flinches back at the sight of Techno, trying desperately to make himself seem smaller, to try and make it clear that he isn't here to fight. "Tommy?" Techno asks, his voice coming out in a soft whisper. Tommy risks a glance up at his face, and instead of the rage he thought that would be there, there's only shock lining his features. Worry shines in his eyes, and Tommy wonders if he's just pretending. "Tommy, what the hell happened to you?" Techno asks, reaching out. Tommy gasps, stumbling back so fast that he trips over the steps behind him, landing on his ass. He scrambles back, putting his arm up in front of him to block the blows that surely are coming, surprised to find out a second later that none have been thrown. "What.." Techno takes a step back, his eyebrows furrowing upwards. "Tommy, are you..what happened? I thought you were dead. We all thought.." he shakes his head, trailing off. "Tommy, you..I'm not goin' to hurt you." 

"I don't know that," Tommy whispers, staring up at the man, wondering if he can manage to run to the portal before Techno catches up with him. He could probably do that, so long as he didn't stumble over his feet. Tommy gasps out in pain, craning his head back to look at his spine. _Right_. Tommy breathes out, reaching up behind him to undo the wraps that go around his entire torso. The wraps that keep his wings in place. The wraps that hid his wings from Dream so that green bastard couldn't use them against him. Tommy lets his wings come free, wincing as they ache and cramp, fluttering them a few times to stretch them. "I..I just got out of the prison," Tommy looks up at Techno, spotting Phil standing a few metres behind him. "I didn't know where else to go, I'm sorry, I didn't think that-"

"Hey, it's okay, mate," Phil is stood by Techno in an instant, and Tommy wonders if they're lying to him or not. He wonders if Phil still thinks that Tommy's problems are his own, that Tommy is supposed to deal with what happens to him alone, without help, without support. "Neither of us are going to hurt you," Phil crouches down on the top step, outstretching a hand to him. Tommy flinches back, bracing for a punch, a hit, _anything_ , but nothing comes. Phil keeps his hand out, and Tommy realises that he isn't going to hit him - Phil just wants to help him stand back up, to get him out of the snow. Tommy breathes in, squeezing his eyes shut for a second. "Tommy," Phil's voice is soft, unbelievably so. "I promise you, neither of us are going to hurt you. I promise, mate." Promises mean nothing to Tommy, not anymore. Not after Wilbur promised to never destroy L'manberg, not after Tubbo promised him that no matter what happened, they'd always look out for one another. Promises mean _nothing_ , and yet still Tommy believes this one. 

"Okay," Tommy nods, terror still making his head spin, still guiding his every movement. He moves forwards, taking Phil's hand with his own, standing up slowly. He stumbles up onto his feet, nearly falling back down as he tries to regain his balance, his vision blurring for a few seconds. When Phil keeps a grip on his hand and doesn't try to hit him or shove him back, Tommy realises that Phil might actually be telling the truth this time around. Techno looks at him, concern flickering in his eyes. "I..I didn't know where else to go," Tommy whispers, feeling tears prick at his eyes, internally cursing as they do. He doesn't know why he's fucking crying, he doesn't know why he's letting himself cry in front of people, especially _these_ specific two people. "I didn't know where else to go. I'm sorry. I didn't think, I didn't..I never think, I'm sorry, I just- I didn't know if- I thought that maybe, I guess, I.." Tommy trails off, stumbling over his words, unable to make himself make sense. He shakes his head, tilting it back to look up at the sky, blinking rapidly, trying to hide his tears from Phil and Techno. "I'm sorry." Tommy settles on, because those are the only two words he can say with complete honesty. 

Phil squeezes his hand, but not too tightly. His grip is loose enough that Tommy knows he could get away if he wanted to. Phil has to be doing that on purpose, there's no way that he isn't. "Hey," Techno clears his throat, looking down at the ground, shifting back and forth on his feet. "You can say no if you want, but I thought, uh.." Techno sighs, trailing off for a few seconds. "Your wings, they're kind of..crooked, you know? A little messed up, I guess, I mean-" Techno blinks at him, his eyes going huge. "Didn't mean that in a mean way. I just thought that, since you've been keepin' them hidden and wrapped up, maybe you'd like someone to..fix them, for you?" 

Tommy blinks back at him, glancing over at Phil. He looks away when he remembers that Phil no longer has his wings, that it's probably been months since he's lost them. "Preening," Tommy murmurs, glancing back up at Techno, taking a shaky step onto the porch again, letting Phil help him up without falling. "It's called, um, it's called preening. Did you.." he looks over at Phil, raising an eyebrow for a moment. "Did Phil ever let you do that?" Phil smiles at him, and Tommy can take that as an answer in itself.

"I did," Phil confirms, taking a few steps backwards, keeping his hand locked with Tommy's. Tommy walks into the house, immediately feeling the warmth of the fireplace on his face, sparing a glance back outside. The cold was familiar, it was nice, almost. It numbed most of his body and blurred his thoughts together. But ultimately, Tommy thinks to himself, he prefers the warmth so much more. It reminds of home. "Techno's pretty good at it, even if he doesn't think he is," Phil laughs, letting go of Tommy's hand. Both Techno and Phil stand a fair distance away from him, and Tommy is more appreciative of that than he could say. "If you want either of us to preen your wings for you, Tommy," Phil beams at him, "all you have to do is say so." 

Tommy closes his eyes, feeling his wings beat weakly behind him, wincing at the sharp pain that follows every movement that they make. "I.." Tommy doesn't know if he can trust them. Can he? They haven't hurt him yet, but that could change any second now. But Techno's always prefered a fair fight where both sides were able to properly put up a fight, not when one of them just got out of a literal fucking hell. "Okay," Tommy nods, dipping his head. He thinks that he can trust them. Maybe not with his life or anything actually important, but with this. Just this one time. "Okay, I..that wouldn't be bad. I can..I'd like that, I.." he breathes out, wishing he could stop stumbling over his words. "Yes." Tommy lets out a breathy laugh, hoping that that's enough of a confirmation. He moves to sit down on the little couch that sits in the middle of the room that they're in, hissing out in pain when his wings get moved wrong. He forgot how fucking awful it is to keep them hidden, to keep them wrapped up on end. 

Techno moves to stand behind him, while Phil sits down in front of him. "You don't have to tell us how you got out of that place if you don't want to," Phil starts, glancing away, "but I'm sort of interested in how you're sat in front of me right now," Tommy winces, biting down on his lip as he feels Techno's hands run through his feathers. "Did he bring you back with that book he talked about a long time ago?" Phil asks, tilting his head to the side. Tommy nods, opting to not say anything else, screwing up his face as he feels Techno's hands work at his wings. "You know, Tommy, you can always stay here however long that you need to. The basement is still full of all the things that you stole. Your bed's down there, too." 

"I thought you got rid of that," Tommy furrows his eyebrows, leaning back into Techno's touch. "I thought that you burnt all of that, that's what you- that's what you told me. After I..after I sided with..the.." he trails off, figuring that both of them know what he's getting at, what he's talking about. "Didn't you burn all of that? All of my things?"

"No," Techno murmurs. Tommy breathes out, feeling his wings start to relax, feeling the pain in them start to even out with every movement of Techno's hands. He can't help but lean back, flapping his wings a few times. The only other person who he ever let touch his wings had been Tubbo, and even then, he didn't do this very often. He didn't trust anyone to actually do it properly, not even himself. His wings were left mostly untouched, constantly aching, constantly hurting throughout his entire life. "I figured that if you ever came back, you'd need a place to stay. Figured I'd have gotten over myself by that point," Techno laughs. "I'm, uh, I'm sorry. For what I did. Both times."

Tommy smiles, ducking his head as he lets Techno preen his wings. For a second, he thinks that this is something sort of like a trust activity. If Techno doesn't fuck this up, if both him and Phil don't kill him, then maybe Tommy might start trusting them again. Maybe. "It's..it's okay," he murmurs, shifting a little, trying his best to not accidentally hit Techno in the face with his wings. "It's okay. I don't have a lot of..lot of energy to be mad," he laughs, though he's only half joking. "Thank you. For..for all of this." 

"Thank _you_ ," he opens his eyes, looking at Phil, who's moved to the kitchen, a cup in his hands. "For being alive. I know I've fucked up a lot, mate, but I realised that I _really_ fucked up. I'm not going to fuck up again," Phil moves to stand back in front of him, holding out the cup. Tommy takes it, smelling chocolate a second later, steam rising up and hitting him in the face. "I promise." Tommy moves the cup to his lips, taking a small drink, feeling the hot chocolate scald the back of his throat. He feels Techno's hands carefully moving over his wings, carefully moving throughout them. 

Tommy lets himself close his eyes, trying his best to relax. He breathes out, feeling the terror in his stomach be replaced with something sort of like contentment. He smiles a little to himself, wondering if this is the time around where everything will finally work out for him. He doesn't say anything else, letting Techno and Phil make the occasional comment, laughing at their jokes whenever he feels like he should. He lets Techno preen his wings, he lets Phil stand close to him.

Tommy isn't entirely sure why he decided to run to Techno and Phil's home. He doesn't know why he decided to go through with entering their house, he doesn't know why they were the first people he thought of when he finally escaped that _hell_. He doesn't know any of that, and yet he doesn't think that that really matters. He leans back into Techno's touch, smiling at Phil as he rambles on and on about a story, an adventure to his past. Tommy thinks that, even though he doesn't quite know why this was the first place his mind told him to run to, it was a good idea to come here. It was a good idea to trust Techno and Phil one more time. It was a good idea to let himself trust. 

So he listens to Phil talk and lets Techno preen his wings, and although Tommy knows that he isn't going to entirely trust them when all of this is over, he knows that it's a start. And a start is more than nothing at all, and so long as he knows that, so long as he remembers that he doesn't have to be here, that he isn't trapped, then everything will be okay. 

Tommy thinks that everything will be okay so long as he has Techno and Phil to fall back on. 


End file.
